Learning about communism: students to collect eyewitness accounts of
hardline 1950s

Twenty-one years after the Velvet Revolution there is now a generation of
young Czechs for whom the communist era is little more than a chapter in
their history books. A Czech NGO has now launched a school project which
should portray the communist years through the fate of individuals and
entire families.

November 17th is a public holiday in the Czech Republic in honour of the
student demonstration that sparked a public revolt against communism in
1989. But, ask today’s students about the anniversary, and very few have
a clear idea about what happened or even what life under communism was
like.

Their scant knowledge about this chapter of the country’s modern history
is a funny mix of facts from their history books and scraps of family
history often gleaned from nostalgic reminiscences of parents and
grandparents. As a result polls about communism in schools provide answers
of the type “ the communists sent granddad to jail but, on the other
hand, grandma had a job” or “people cared less about money then,
families were closer-knit and there wasn’t so much violence – but
people couldn’t wear T-shirts with English slogans”.

The fact that teachers themselves often have a problem coming to grips
with the not-so distant past, has led the association The Forgotten to
launch a school project in which students themselves should map entire
family histories to find out how the communist regime impacted the lives of
several generations of Czechs. Project coordinator Dana Gabalová says the
first phase of the project, devoted to the hardline 1950s, should provide
plenty of material:

“The project is devoted to the post-war years – the hardline 1950s
with its show trials and persecution, up until the mid-1960s when some
political prisoners were amnestied. We do not want a black-and-white
picture but a true reflection of those days with testimonies of people
regardless of what position they held in society.“

The 1950s are likely to reveal shocking stories of farmers who were forced
to enter communist collective farming cooperatives –thus giving up their
land - or those who refused and faced years of persecution, similarly those
who succumbed to pressure to became agents of the communist secret police
and those who held onto their dignity and paid the ultimate price – as,
inevitably, did their children. The organizers of the project are hoping
some of those who lost the fight with their conscience will come forward to
tell their tale. Dana Gabalová again :

“Of course we realize that for some people it may be very painful to
talk about these things, on the other hand others may welcome the chance to
unburden their conscience and tell their story. There are many amazing
family histories that have never been told – very often because there was
no one willing to listen.”

Similarly as a successful 10-year project mapping the fate of thousands of
Jews who disappeared during WWII- the project focusing on the communist era
will place considerable demands –both in terms of time and resources - on
the 12 to 18 year olds who want to take part. However the projects
organizers say they know from experience there is no better way of learning
about history than by word of mouth.